Description:FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention generally relates to autonomous package delivery system or method using unmanned aircrafts such as drones, unmanned aerial vehicles etc. implemented in hardware, software or in combination of both hardware and software.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Traditional delivery services which use delivery vehicles to drive to each address/destination for delivering packages can be slow and inefficient, often require manual intervention and physical labour. Delivery of packages via Unmanned Aircrafts such as drones, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), have rapidly increased in recent years as they are cost effective and time saving.

[0003] Package delivery via unmanned aircrafts offer a promising solution, but require reliable communication and coordination with the delivery location to ensure safe and efficient package delivery.

[0004] Unmanned Aircrafts package deliveries are prone to are package theft and require pilot intervention for landing the package and user intervention for receiving the package.

[0005] In order to overcome these limitations there is a need for an automated package delivery system with secure storage of the delivered package.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

[0006] An object of the present invention is to automate drone delivery of the package at a destination location without human/pilot intervention.

[0007] Another object of the present invention is to provide secure storage box/pod to automatically receive a package from the drone and securely store without the need for user/human intervention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0008] According to the present invention, the embodiments herein provide an automated package delivery system and method that enables a drone to detect its arrival at a pod location and release a package. The pod detects the drone's arrival and opens its door, allowing the drone to release the package without pilot intervention.

[0009] These and other aspects of the embodiments herein will be better appreciated and understood when considered in conjunction with the following description and the accompanying drawings. It should be understood, however, that the following descriptions, while indicating preferred embodiments and numerous specific details thereof, are given by way of illustration and not of limitation. Many changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the embodiments herein without departing from the spirit thereof, and the embodiments herein include all such modifications.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] Figure 1 illustrates an autonomous unmanned aircraft package delivery system, according to an embodiment herein.
[0011] Figure 2 illustrates a flowchart of a method for package delivery/release from an unmanned aircraft to a pod, according to an embodiment herein.
[0012] Figure 3 illustrates a computer system, according to an embodiment herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0013] In order to make objects, technical details and advantages of embodiments of the present disclosure clear, the technical solutions of the embodiments will be described in a clearly and fully understandable way in connection with the related drawings. It is apparent that the described embodiments are just a part but not all of the embodiments of the present disclosure. Based on the described embodiments herein, those skilled in the art can obtain, without any inventive work, other embodiment(s) which should be within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0014] An embodiment of this invention, illustrating its features, will now be described in detail. The words "comprising, "having, "containing," and "including," and other forms thereof, are intended to be equivalent in meaning and be open ended in that an item or items following any one of these words is not meant to be an exhaustive listing of such item or items, or meant to be limited to only the listed item or items.

[0015] The detailed description set forth below is intended as a description of the presently exemplary device provided in accordance with aspects of the present invention and is not intended to represent the only forms in which the present invention may be prepared or utilized. It is to be understood, rather, that the same or equivalent functions and components may be accomplished by different embodiments that are also intended to be encompassed within the spirit and scope of the invention.

[0016] Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood to one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. Although any methods, devices and materials similar or equivalent to those described can be used in the practice or testing of the invention, the exemplary methods, devices and materials are now described. The words “first”, “second” and the like used in this disclosure do not indicate any order, quantity or importance, but are only used to distinguish different components. Similar words such as “comprising” or “including” refer to that the elements or objects appearing before the word cover the listed elements or objects appearing after the word and their equivalents, without excluding other elements or objects. “Up”, “down”, “left” and “right” are only used to express the relative positional relationship. When the absolute position of the described object changes, the relative positional relationship may also change accordingly.

[0017] All publications mentioned are incorporated by reference for the purpose of describing and disclosing, for example, the designs and methodologies that are described in the publications that might be used in connection with the presently described invention. The publications listed or discussed above, below and throughout the text are provided solely for their disclosure prior to the filing date of the present application. Nothing herein is to be construed as an admission that the inventors are not entitled to antedate such disclosure by virtue of prior invention.

[0018] Figure 1 discloses an autonomous unmanned aircraft package delivery system 100 where the unmanned aircraft 101 and the pod 102 are in a vicinity. The system 100 checks whether the unmanned aircraft has reached near to the pod and are within a threshold distance. The system 100 checks the location of the unmanned aircraft 101 based on its latitude and longitude coordinates to determine whether the unmanned aircraft 101 is at the location of the pod 102 and then releases the package in a controlled manner using a dropping mechanism for example a string or a rope. The pod 102 determines the location of the unmanned aircraft 101 and opens the package receiving door 103 to receive the package from the unmanned aircraft 101 and securely store the same.

[0019] Figure 2 discloses a flowchart of a method for package delivery/release from the unmanned aircraft 101 to the pod 102. The method comprising steps of: step 201: determining whether the unmanned aircraft 101 is near the pod 102 based on the location of the unmanned aircraft 101, step 202: calculating distance between the unmanned aircraft 101 and the pod 102, step 203: triggering the unmanned aircraft 101 to release the package and the pod 102 to open the package receiving door 103 when the distance is less than a predetermined threshold and step 204: closing the package receiving door once the package is received to securely store within the pod 102.

[0020] In an embodiment, the location of the unmanned aircraft 101 is determined by considering latitude, longitude, altitude, speed and direction of the unmanned aircrafts.

[0021] In an embodiment, the position of the unmanned aircraft is estimated based on position, navigation, time, size and velocity of the unmanned aircrafts.

[0022] In another embodiment, the unmanned aircraft can be a drone, a unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) or an autonomous flying vehicle etc.

[0023] In another embodiment, the pod can be a landing pad, mailbox, delivery pod or a receptacle etc.

[0024] In another embodiment, the unmanned aircraft 101 communicates with a navigation system to receive route or path to the pod and to determine the location of the pod.

[0025] FIG. 3 is a block diagram that illustrates a computer system 300 according to an embodiment of the invention. Computer system 300 includes an Interlink 301 or BUS or other communication mechanism for communicating information, a processor 302 coupled with the interlink 301 for processing information, a memory 303, such as a random access memory (RAM) or other dynamic storage device, coupled to the interlink 301 for storing information and instructions to be executed by processor 302, a read only memory (ROM) 304 or other static storage device coupled to interlink 301 for storing static information and instructions for processor 302, a storage device 305, such as a magnetic disk or optical disk, is provided and coupled to interlink 301 for storing information and instructions, a display 306 coupled to the interlink 301 for displaying information to a user, an input device 307 coupled to the interlink 301 for communicating information to the computer system 300, a navigation user interface 308 coupled to the interlink 301 for providing navigation access to the user, a communication interface 309 coupled to the interlink 301 which provides a two-way data communication coupling to a network 310 that is connected to internet 311 which is a local network, sensors 312 of the unmanned aircraft coupled to the interlink 301 and a server 313 connected to the internet 311.

[0026] Basic operation of the Invention includes:
a. The UAV is loaded with a package and programmed with the pod location.
b. The UAV flies to the pod location and communicates with pod.
c. Upon arrival, the UAV's electronic circuitry triggers the package release mechanism to release the package.
d. Simultaneously, the pod's detection system detects the UAV's arrival and triggers the opening of the package receiving door within the pod.
e. The UAV releases the package into the pod through the package receiving door.
f. The pod closes the package receiving door and securely stores the package.

[0027] In one embodiment, the pod may be accessed by the user by an authentication method to retrieve the package.

[0028] In one embodiment, the unmanned aircraft is equipped with: An electronic circuitry connected to a cloud server using a cloud server account and utilizing publish and subscribe functions of cloud server IoT Core and a GPS module for providing latitude and longitude data.

[0029] In another embodiment, the pod is equipped with: An electronic circuitry module for receiving commands and triggering the ceiling opening mechanism and a pre-configured database containing the pod's latitude and longitude.

[0030] In one embodiment, another operation of the Invention includes:
a. The drone streams its latitude and longitude data to cloud server IoT Core.
b. The cloud server Lambda calculates the distance between the drone and pod based on the streamed data.
c. When the distance is less than 10 meters, cloud server IoT Core triggers the electronic circuitry in the pod to open the ceiling.
d. cloud server IoT Core triggers the electronic circuitry in the drone to release the package into the pod through the package receiving door using a package release mechanism.

[0031] In one embodiment, the pod can be a box having an openable lid that automatically opens to receive a package delivery from the drone.

[0032] In one embodiment, the unmanned aircraft vehicle (UAV) is equipped with: A package release mechanism and a location detection system (for e.g., GPS, computer vision, sensors) configured to detect when the UAV has arrived at a predetermined pod location.

[0033] In one embodiment, the pod is equipped with an automatic openable door and a UAV detection electronic module (e.g., sensors, cameras) configured to detect when the UAV has arrived at the pod location.

[0034] In one embodiment, the user/pilot is alerted when the unmanned aircraft deviates from its current path.

[0035] In some embodiments, the computer system may be integrated into the unmanned aircraft and may execute automated package delivery application that is programmed to perform various functions/steps as described in the above embodiments. The unmanned aircraft can be autonomous and can be controlled by the user/pilot through a remote controller.

[0036] In one embodiment, the unmanned aircrafts are equipped with sensors such as but not limited to gyroscope, altimeter, compass, accelerometer, GPS receiver etc.

[0037] The foregoing descriptions of specific embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the present invention to the precise forms disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the present invention and its practical application, and to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the present invention and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is understood that various omissions and substitutions of equivalents are contemplated as circumstances may suggest or render expedient, but such omissions and substitutions are intended to cover the application or implementation without departing from the scope of the claims of the present invention.

[0038] While specific language has been used to describe the disclosure, any limitations arising on account of the same are not intended. As would be apparent to a person skilled in the art, various working modifications may be made to the method in order to implement the inventive concept as taught herein.

[0039] The figures and the foregoing description give examples of embodiments. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that one or more of the described elements may well be combined into a single functional element. Alternatively, certain elements may be split into multiple functional elements. Elements from one embodiment may be added to another 15 embodiment. For example, order of processes described herein may be changed and are not limited to the manner described herein. Moreover, the actions of any flow diagram need not be implemented in the order shown; nor do all of the acts need to be necessarily performed. Also, those acts that are not dependent on other acts may be performed in parallel with the other acts. The scope of embodiments is by no means limited by these specific examples.

Reference Numerals Corresponding Features
101 Unmanned Aircraft
102 Pod
103 Package Receiving Door
301 Interlink
302 Processor
303 Memory
304 ROM
305 Storage Device
306 Display
307 Input Device
308 Navigation UI
309 Communication Interface
310 Network
311 Internet
312 Sensors
313 Server
, Claims:We Claim:

1. A machine implemented method for autonomous package delivery using an unmanned aircraft and a pod, comprising the steps of:
streaming location data from the unmanned aircraft to a cloud-based server, wherein the location data is determined using latitude and longitude coordinates of the drone;
determining a current position and a current velocity of a first unmanned aircraft and a second unmanned aircraft;
estimating a collision possibility between the first unmanned aircraft and the second unmanned aircraft;
calculating a predicted position of the first unmanned aircraft and the second unmanned aircraft to determine time for the collision possibility;
generating a separation criteria for avoiding the collision possibility of the unmanned aircrafts;
calculating distance between the future positions of the unmanned aircrafts;
comparing the calculated distance with the generated separation criteria; and
alerting one or more users of the unmanned aircrafts with a loss of separation occurrence notification if the calculated distance is less than the separation criteria.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the current position is determined using one or more position factors including but not limited to latitude, longitude, altitude etc. and the current velocity is determined using one or more velocity factors including but not limited to speed, direction etc. or in combination thereof.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the future position is calculated using position, navigation, time, velocity and size of the unmanned aircraft.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the separation criteria is generated by referring to but not limited to aviation regulations, guidelines, Air Traffic Control instructions, Instrument Flight Rules, Visual Flight Rules, airspace class, altitude, weather conditions or in combination thereof.

5. A system for autonomous package delivery using unmanned aircrafts, comprising:
a drone equipped with:
a location module for determining location data using latitude and longitude coordinates of the drone;
a package release mechanism for releasing a package from the drone;
a pod equipped with:
a package receiving door;
an electronic circuitry module;
a cloud-based server, wherein the cloud-based server receives the location data from the drone,
calculates the distance between the drone and the pod,
triggers the pod to open the package receiving door when the calculated distance is less than a predetermined threshold,
triggers the drone to release the package using the package releasing mechanism; and
a communication network connecting the drone, the pod, and the cloud-based server.

6. The system as claimed in claim 5, wherein the drone is controlled by one or more users using a remote controller.

7. The system as claimed in claim 5, wherein the drone can be but not limited to a drone, unmanned aerial vehicle etc.

8. The system as claimed in claim 5, wherein the pod can be but not limited to a mailbox, a storage box, a container etc.

9. The system as claimed in claim 5, wherein the package release mechanism utilizes a string or a rope to release the package in a controlled manner.

10. The system as claimed in claim 5, wherein latitude and longitude coordinates of the pod is stored in a database with in the cloud server.